Obtain schedules and forms from your school or online for the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, and AP exams upon commencement of the fall semester. Familiarize yourself with registration deadlines and test dates. (See the Assessment Tests section for more information.)
September:
Register for the PSAT exam to be offered in October. Since this is your junior year, your PSAT scores will now count towards the National Achievement Program. Moreover, it is vital practice for the SAT Reasoning Test.
October/November:
Take the PSAT.
Narrow your list of colleges.
Include a few colleges with requirements equal with your current GPA, a few with requirements above your current GPA, and at least one with requirements below your current GPA. (While you should never sell yourself short, it is always pragmatic to have a “safety school” in anticipation of previously unforeseen circumstances).
Your list should contain approximately 8-12 schools that you are seriously considering.
Begin researching your financial aid options. College Spot offers a variety of financial aid resources, including information on scholarships, federal student loans, and private student loans.
Begin scheduling interviews with admissions counselors at your prospective colleges. If possible, schedule tours of the school grounds to occur on the same day. This will give you a feel for the atmosphere on campus and it will help you to visualize yourself as a student living on campus and attending classes there. It is imperative that you feel comfortable at your prospective colleges since you may be spending the next few years of your life at any one of them.
November/December:
You will receive your scores from the October PSAT. Expect your PSAT results approximately 4 to 8 weeks following the test day.
Review and analyze your PSAT results with your counselor and teachers. This process should help to identify your strengths and the areas most in need of improvement.
Should your scores fall near or below the scores required at the colleges of your choice, you may want to consider enrolling in an SAT or ACT preparatory course. Many high schools offer prep classes or seminars ahead of these standardized tests. This assistance lends guidance to students, preparing them for all potential testing scenarios while heightening the possibility of good scores. Kaplan and the Princeton Review also offer a variety of different preparation options to high school students.
January:
Visit the campus tour option for your selected colleges online. Also consider signing up for a live tour on campus, if feasible, to further narrow your search.
February:
February is your deadline to register for the March SAT Reasoning Test, the May SAT Subject Tests and/or April ACT test.
You will want to research which test or tests are needed in order to satisfy the requirements for the colleges of your choice.
It is advised to take the SAT and/or ACT in the spring to allow you time to retake the exams in the fall of your senior year should you find your first scores unsatisfactory. It is infinitely sensible to allow yourself sufficient time to retake the exams because your highest score is used on your application without any averaging of the scores being performed, and you are not penalized in any fashion.
March:
Take the SAT Reasoning Test. This is your first and most opportune time to take the SAT Reasoning Test.
Sign up for the applicable AP exam(s) at this time. Be certain to take the exams that correspond with each AP class you have taken this school year. Should your school not offer AP exam(s), your guidance counselor can help you confirm all schools in the area that administer the exam(s), as well as all dates and times the relevant exam(s) are offered. Scoring well can often earn you college credit. This college credit earned prior to setting foot on campus is of great significance, as this can allow you the opportunity to graduate early, skip mundane pre-requisites, begin higher level studies, as well as save you time and money.
April:
Take the ACT test. This is your first and most opportune time to take the ACT.
Discuss letters of recommendation with select teachers.
There are many helpful resources online with instructions and guidelines for letters of recommendation.
If you are still unsure, be comforted by the fact that teachers are asked to write letters of recommendation every year, and should already have a working knowledge of the requirements.
Do not be shy about indicating what information you would like included and how you would prefer to be presented in your letter.
Be polite when asking your teachers if they can accommodate your requests.
May:
This is your second opportunity to take the SAT Reasoning Test and your first opportunity to take SAT Subject Tests relevant to your junior year courses.
Take AP exams relevant to your junior year AP courses.
June:
Add junior year report cards, test scores, honors, and awards to your file.
Visit prospective colleges.
Call ahead for appointments with financial aid, admissions, and academic advisors at the college(s).
During your visits, see what opportunities are offered to talk to professors, sit in on classes, and speak to students. This will allow you to gather significant and accurate information about each college and its overall atmosphere.
Many colleges have these preview program options for future students. Find out whether your prospective schools offer these programs and take advantage of them.
Send thank you notes following any personal visits or interviews with professors, admissions officers, or college administrators. This will keep your name fresh in their minds and assist in admission and other future collegiate endeavors.
June also offers another opportunity to take the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, and ACT test.
July/August:
Prepare rough drafts of applications for each of your prospective schools.
Focus primarily on the essay portions of the applications, making determinations with regard to content and theme. Keep in mind, your application essay may be the determining factor when a college representative is considering you for admission.
Ask family, friends, and teachers to review your essays for grammar, punctuation, readability, and content criticism.
You will not be submitting applications at this time; however, these essays are demanding and time-consuming. It is best to plan ahead in order to avoid being overwhelmed come application-time.
Decide whether you are going to apply to college under the early decision or early action programs.
These programs generally require you to submit your applications between October and December of your senior year.
You benefit by possibly receiving the college’s decision concerning your admission prior to January 1st, much earlier than those students applying by the general deadline.
Your first choice schools should most certainly receive your application as soon as possible in order to give yourself the highest probability for acceptance
Make sure that each early decision program does not require you to attend that particular college should they accept you.
College Planning Grade 11
August:
Obtain schedules and forms from your school or online for the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, and AP exams upon commencement of the fall semester. Familiarize yourself with registration deadlines and test dates. (See the Assessment Tests section for more information.)
September:
Register for the PSAT exam to be offered in October. Since this is your junior year, your PSAT scores will now count towards the National Achievement Program. Moreover, it is vital practice for the SAT Reasoning Test.
October/November:
Take the PSAT.
Narrow your list of colleges.
Begin researching your financial aid options. College Spot offers a variety of financial aid resources, including information on scholarships, federal student loans, and private student loans.
Begin scheduling interviews with admissions counselors at your prospective colleges. If possible, schedule tours of the school grounds to occur on the same day. This will give you a feel for the atmosphere on campus and it will help you to visualize yourself as a student living on campus and attending classes there. It is imperative that you feel comfortable at your prospective colleges since you may be spending the next few years of your life at any one of them.
November/December:
You will receive your scores from the October PSAT. Expect your PSAT results approximately 4 to 8 weeks following the test day.
Review and analyze your PSAT results with your counselor and teachers. This process should help to identify your strengths and the areas most in need of improvement.
Should your scores fall near or below the scores required at the colleges of your choice, you may want to consider enrolling in an SAT or ACT preparatory course. Many high schools offer prep classes or seminars ahead of these standardized tests. This assistance lends guidance to students, preparing them for all potential testing scenarios while heightening the possibility of good scores. Kaplan and the Princeton Review also offer a variety of different preparation options to high school students.
January:
Visit the campus tour option for your selected colleges online. Also consider signing up for a live tour on campus, if feasible, to further narrow your search.
February:
February is your deadline to register for the March SAT Reasoning Test, the May SAT Subject Tests and/or April ACT test.
You will want to research which test or tests are needed in order to satisfy the requirements for the colleges of your choice.
It is advised to take the SAT and/or ACT in the spring to allow you time to retake the exams in the fall of your senior year should you find your first scores unsatisfactory. It is infinitely sensible to allow yourself sufficient time to retake the exams because your highest score is used on your application without any averaging of the scores being performed, and you are not penalized in any fashion.
March:
Take the SAT Reasoning Test. This is your first and most opportune time to take the SAT Reasoning Test.
Sign up for the applicable AP exam(s) at this time. Be certain to take the exams that correspond with each AP class you have taken this school year. Should your school not offer AP exam(s), your guidance counselor can help you confirm all schools in the area that administer the exam(s), as well as all dates and times the relevant exam(s) are offered. Scoring well can often earn you college credit. This college credit earned prior to setting foot on campus is of great significance, as this can allow you the opportunity to graduate early, skip mundane pre-requisites, begin higher level studies, as well as save you time and money.
April:
Take the ACT test. This is your first and most opportune time to take the ACT.
Discuss letters of recommendation with select teachers.
May:
This is your second opportunity to take the SAT Reasoning Test and your first opportunity to take SAT Subject Tests relevant to your junior year courses.
Take AP exams relevant to your junior year AP courses.
June:
Add junior year report cards, test scores, honors, and awards to your file.
Visit prospective colleges.
June also offers another opportunity to take the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, and ACT test.
July/August:
Prepare rough drafts of applications for each of your prospective schools.
Decide whether you are going to apply to college under the early decision or early action programs.
Once you’ve finished up with grade 11, please move onto college planning for grade tweleve.